


Against Your Roots

by ivarara



Series: Maxis [23]
Category: Warframe
Genre: i wanted to write ruckus so...aafsfddhadc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-23 23:07:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21328171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivarara/pseuds/ivarara
Summary: Tenno raiders cause Max to have to prove her loyalty.
Series: Maxis [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1252910
Kudos: 3





	Against Your Roots

**Author's Note:**

> sounds way more dramatic than it is tbh

On the rare occasions that it downpoured on the Plains, the skies did not hold back. Rain comes down in literal sheets. Any exposed patches of dirt are absolutely liquefied until they are merely soggy patches of mud on the ground. Any materials left out unprotected would soak in minutes.

Max and Trouvaille love it.

Ruckus and Zus are indifferent.

Hush _hates_ it.

They make do, though. Ruckus is tethered so he could shelter from the rain under a patch of clumped trees, entering and leaving the rain however often he pleases. Per Max’s insistence and ingenuity, an old, discarded tarp is repurposed into a rain blanket for the beast. Trouvaille merrily gallavants through the mud and accumulating puddles. Max wanders aimlessly, albeit with a gangly gait--a rough outing a few days prior had left her with an injured leg, resulting in her being ordered to take things easily.

Hush stays firmly planted under the dry roof of one of the outpost’s buildings, relaxing against a wall. Zus does the same, idly scanning through a list of duties and points of information to consider. A radio in the corner of the shelter quietly broadcasts chatter from outpost to outpost, with occasional input from a galleon commander. Mostly, though, it’s the typical rail agent-against-aircraft pilot bickering. It provides a sense of comfort; the Hounds were not accustomed to true silence. Having something make incessant noise was welcome.

Until the idle chatter is replaced by a warning snapped out--to them.

_ “Hek’s Stiletto,” _a rough voice urges_, “they’re headed for the Stiletto outpost. They have just sabotaged supplies over at The Ribs. Prior, they hacked and stole a drone with vital information contained.” _By now, Zus has snapped to attention, posture rigid as he listens closely. _“They are aware we have retrieved the Relic. Tenno are planning to raid the Stiletto for the Relic. Take action immediately.”_

By now, Hush has snapped to as well. 

“You,” Zus barks, causing her head to swivel to look to him. “Take this.” The commander leans over to scrape a crate out from under a table where it’d been hidden out of sight. He rips the lid off, snatching something up from inside. Briskly, it’s shoved ungracefully into Hush’s confused hands. “Get Maxis, get the hell away from here. She has that...beast. Ruckus. You lot should be able to get away unnoticed before our company arrives.” A pause as he listens to the rising commotion around them. “Do not let anything happen to the Relic or her.”

Hush nods stiffly, already springing to motion. She dodges and weaves between the now-active base, searching for the familiar shock of red-orange scruffy hair that belongs to her Operator.

Max turns out to not be inside the base. Instead, she’s out near Ruckus’ lunge. She’s sat in a dry patch of grass under the thick canopy of leaves, Trouvaille curled up next to her. Ruckus is still carelessly grazing, content to have Maxis near him for the moment.

She notices Hush rushing towards her. “What’s goin’ on?” she asks groggily. She sits stiffly, favoring her leg. Trouvaille’s ears snap forward as her approach.

Hush points to the makeshift saddle on the ground next to Max and Ruckus urgently.

“What’s wrong?” Max’s voice is laced with worry now, though she carefully stands and plunks the thing on Ruckus’ back. As she’s buckling the cinches to keep the saddle in place, she notices the sudden bustling of the base. “Hush?”

Instead of answering in any way, Hush ushers Max to the creature. Ruckus looks over his shoulder lazily, standing still as Maxis clambers onto his broad back. Once she’s on, Hush shoves the package into Max’s arms in the same manner Zus had to her. Her intention was clear: _hang on to this_. Hush slips up on to Ruckus behind her Operator, settling in to the still-developing familiarity of riding. Trouvaille’s standing now, pacing back and forth at the tension in the air.

_ Go,_ Hush shoos Max with a hand motion as she draws her Artemis Bow. Max hesitates for a split second before clicking to Ruckus, the beast taking off at a full-tilt gallop across the rugged terrain.

Hush is used to the rhythmic pounding of hoofbeats by now. The staccato hits help settle her mind, knowing there is at least familiarity in the steadfast way Ruckus keeps his pace. She can adjust her aim to accommodate the bobbing caused by the strides the creature makes, making her just as lethal as she is on normal ground.

“Hush, what’s wrong?” Max pipes up over the wind. “Where are we…?”

Hush points to the package in Max’s arms. 

“Yeah, and?”

The doors to the Plains from Cetus creak open with a commotion, a full squad of Tenno awaiting their release.

Hush points to them.

“They’re after it.” Not a question, a tired, worn-out observation.

Hush nods.

“Okay, okay.” Max struggles to keep a level head. “To another outpost, then?”

Hush nods again.

“Okay.” Max thinks as she firms her grip on the relic in one hand, the reins in the other. Trouvaille keeps fair pace alongside them, running as quick as his short legs can take him, tongue lolling out happily. Trouvaille enjoys sudden, harsh chases.

Hush does not.

“Twin Horns is too close,” the Operator thinks out loud. “That’ll probably be near guaranteed the second place they check for it. We need to go out in the middle of nowhere.” She pauses. “The Ribs would work, yeah?”

Hush nods in affirmation.

“So, that’s our destination.” Max angles the reins to steer Ruckus towards the other outpost. Ruckus glides into the turn easily and smoothly.

They gallop for a short while. Trouvaille slows down, but keeps pace, slowing and then catching up repeatedly. Max pulls back to slow Ruckus down a bit, easing him back into a trot.

“Almost there,” she reports. Hush already knew, but didn’t make a reply. Max talks to herself to keep her bearings. Not that much of a disrupting act.

The Ribs slips into view behind a spanning hillside. The giant, jagged fragments of the ancient Sentient jut up out of the ground harshly, creating a sort of cradle for the outpost to settle in. 

A Ballista takes note of their approach. “Tenno! Be gone! What brings you so far from home?” she calls down from her perch.

“Oh, uh,” Max falters as she trips over words, slowing Ruckus to a stop. He stamps his feet impatiently, eager for more motion, more action. “We got sent away from the Stiletto. To keep a relic safe from...other Tenno. This is the safest place we could think of.”

“You have a relic?”

Max holds the package up over her head.

The Ballista radios the rest of her squadron as she glares balefully down at Maxis and her entourage. “You’re granted access. Proceed.”

Hush slips off of Ruckus silently, landing on the ground with an indiscernible noise. Trouvaille catches up, panting heavily, foaming slightly at the mouth from exertion. Max stays mounted, the familiar position offering a semblance of comfort in a newer, unfamiliar territory. 

The group strides in to not much of a greeting. Tusk Troopers and Mortars stare idly at them as they pass by, some commenting on Ruckus’ size, others on Maxis’ lack thereof.

“You, Maxis,” someone booms. “You’re here for what reason, exactly?”

Max straightens up. “Sir, I was sent by my commander to keep this relic safe at a different outpost. Ours was under siege by Tenno raiders.”

“Tenno raiders?” The outpost’s lead narrows his eyes at her. “Going against your own roots?”

“I’ve long been doing that, sir,” Max keeps a level head. “I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again. I’ve chosen my loyalties.”

“Very well,” he hums. “Take the relic to the armored vault beside the ammo cases. Be careful your beasts don’t disorganize our belongings as they move,” he scoffs lightly.

“Yessir.” The Operator slides off Ruckus’ back easily, plopping to the ground next to him. She twirls the reins over his head to hold them at her side, gently leading him about. He follows affably, knowing water and a good scrub-down are in the future for him.

The vault creaks open slowly as one of the troopers takes the relic from Max. 

“What should I do in the meantime?” Max asks warily. “I can’t exactly...go back. I shouldn’t at least. They’d be able to trace where I was coming from.”

“You’re to stay here for a maximum of four hours from now,” the leader gruffs. “No longer. Your creatures are already causing enough of a mess.” He points disdainfully.

Ruckus is scraping up piles of dirt with a forehoof, nosing the dust curiously. Trouvaille rolls around in the stirred-up dirt, cooling off.

“That’s just how they are. I promise, sir,” Max ensures.

He hums unbelievingly. “I’ll take you at your word for it.”


End file.
